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24th May 2022

DSPCA urge public to leave baby birds alone

Ellen Fitzpatrick

There are other ways to handle them.

The DSPCA is urging the public to leave baby birds they come across alone as they receive hundreds of animals this time of year.

Taking to Instagram, the animal charity said that a number of babies or young birds have been brought in, but they have said this is the wrong thing to do.

They wrote: “This is just one little chick who came into the shelter after a passer by found him on the ground. This time every year we receive hundreds of calls about young baby birds or “Fledglings” on the ground. People think they are helping by picking them up and bringing them to the shelter. This sadly is the wrong thing to do and we are asking the public not to do so.

“Every year in spring and summer Irish birds are nesting. When the chicks hatch they stay in the nest for a couple of weeks until all their feathers grow. Then when the time is right each chick jumps out of the nest and lands on the ground. When on the ground the young chick is not injured or in need of help, he is just learning how to fly. This can take anything from a few hours to a few days depending on the breed of bird. When the young chick does take flight he will return to his parents who will be watching close by in the trees.”

Stressing that they should not be moved, even if you are worried something may happen, they went on to explain exactly what you should do instead of calling.

They continued: “Please do not move them because you are afraid something ‘might’ happen, only ever step in if a) has obvious injuries or b) in immediate danger. If in immediate danger, then you can pick it up (using gloves) and move it a very short distance to somewhere safe, no more than a few meters away. Look for somewhere with shelter for the bird and where the parents will still be able to easily it find.”